Strathmore Games/ Brown Cup, NZ

A sunny day with a cold easterly wind. Thirteen played. Piob 1 Graham Mulholland, MacDougall’s Gathering 2 Mike Fitzhenry, Park No2 3 Allan Russell, Mary’s Praise 4 Gordon McCready, Lord Lovat’s Lament 5 Ben Duncan, Lament for MacSwan of Roaig Judges: D Watson, G Clark March 1 Gordon McCready 2 Ben Duncan 3 Allan Russell 4 Mike Fitzhenry 5 Edward Gaul S&R 1 Gordon McCready 2 Ben Duncan 3 Mike…

Professor Roderick Cannon – Updated with Tributes

Professor Roderick Cannon, one of piping’s foremost academics, has died after a short illness. He was 77. Professor Cannon was born in England but had a strong Scottish background on his father’s side of the family. He was brought up in Eccles in Lancashire where his grandfather had convinced the local Boys Brigade company to adopt the pipes for their band instead of bugles. Roderick learned pipes from his father…

Uist & Barra Results (Updated with Comment)

As would be expected with such a stellar line-up, this was a day of first rate professional piping. A large crowd heard the very best of both ceol mor and ceol beag. Comment on the performances and  the winners are as below but listed among the latter should be the audience too. Here are the complete results: Ceol Mor: 1 Faye Henderson, Lament for the Earl of Antrim 2 Douglas…

Important New Piobaireachd Work Available from Piping Press Shop

Respected ceol mor teacher and adjudicator, Duncan Watson, has  reviewed Jimmy McIntosh’s new book ‘Ceol Mor for the Great Highland Bagpipe, presented in The Balmoral Tradition’, exclusively for pipingpress.com. In a very detailed and expert analysis, Duncan, himself a long-time pupil of RB Nicol, looks at how the music is set out, comments on notation, the teaching of John MacDonald and the Bobs of Balmoral, and adds entertaining anecdotal information…

Uist & Barra Announcement

U&B Piping Convenor John Angus Smith has sent this: ‘I thought the attached notice for the 2015 Uist & Barra Invitational Piping Competition would be of interest. Fourteen of the best UK-based pipers in the world have been invited to compete in each event, with the invitation list drawn from major prize winners in 2014. The competition will be held at the College of Piping, Glasgow, on 7th March from…